Two Sides of One Force
Students learn about electric powered motorsCopyright https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle#/media/File:Electric_Car_recharging.jpg
Students learn more about magnetism, and how magnetism and electricity are related in electromagnets. They learn the fundamentals about how simple electric motors and electromagnets work. Students also learn about hybrid gasoline-electric cars and their advantages over conventional gasoline-only-powered cars.
In our modern world, motors are in use everywhere. In fact, any electrical appliance, device or equipment with a moving part likely has a motor — from refrigerators and hair dryers, to music players and computers. To create these everyday electromagnetic motors, engineers understand how electricity and magnetism work together. Because motors consume around 60% of all U.S. electric power, some engineers design high-efficiency motors that run better without using as much electricity. Engineers also design hybrid cars that use both gasoline and electric motor technologies, and reduce emission pollutants.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Describe how a motor works by using an electromagnet and magnetic forces.
- Explain that engineers design electromagnets and motors for use in various applications.
- Relate that hybrid cars use both gasoline and batteries.